Disneyland Reopening Speculation Superthread

[cm123]

It seems that a number of unions protest the July 17 opening date.
https://www.latimes.com/business/st...opening-details-but-some-workers-want-a-delay

Let's wait to see how they feel once the extra pandemic pay and their unemployment runs out.

 

[Ionan89]

Many CMs, though worried about pandemic pay running out, are much more worried for their health and the health of those they live with. So many are either in one of the high-risk categories, or lives/is in frequent contact with someone in the high-risk categories. Also, from that letter those Unions sent (which represents only about half of the resort unions--the others are also likely on the same side with this coalition, but not part of it for various reasons such as the Teamsters), it sounds like Disney isn't answering or willing to work with the unions on safety proposals. I hope the State says no to opening until those safety guidelines/details with the workers is ironed out and agreed upon by both sides.

 

[VandVsmama]

Do you guys remember how the previous WDW announcements re: re-opening stated stuff like "A resort hotel reservation does not guarantee admission into a park"?

So with this system, that still remains true. Just having the on site hotel reservation doesn't GUARANTEE you admission into a park. It DOES guarantee that at WDW, you'll have an opportunity to make a park reservation before AP holders do. BUT if you do nothing and you do not actually make the park reservation, then you don't get in.

I think it's a pretty fair way of doing things. It puts some responsibility in the hands of the guest.

I also think that WDW has 4 days of on-site resort guest priority reservations before the WDW AP reservation window opens is because, frankly, there's a lot of WDW on site resorts. Just in the DVC resorts alone, they have way more total quantity of hotel rooms than all 3 of the DL on site hotels combined.

When this reservation system for DL opens up, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw something like this: (side note: this is pure speculation on my part)

• For the dates of 7/17 - 7/22, AP holders will get priority first to make a park reservation.
• I think that similarly to when SWGE opened, AP holders will be limited to a certain # of park reservations within a certain time frame (i.e., X # of park reservations per month).
• For the dates of 7/17-7/22, everyone else will then have a chance to get park reservations for those dates. On site hotel guests will not have priority for those dates because the on site hotels will not be open yet.
• For dates starting 7/23, on site hotel guests at DL will get first dibs for DL park reservations. It'll probably be 2-3 days' lead time before the 7/23 and beyond dates open up for AP holders.
• Regular park ticket holders (i.e., everybody else who doesn't have an AP and isn't staying on site) will have a crack at it after AP holders do for dates starting 7/23.
• If WDW park reservations are through about 9/21-9/23 (I can't remember the date I saw on this or the other thread on the WDW side), then the DL park reservations will probably be through 9/30.

Taking WDW's other announcements about special 'add on' cancellations, I think that DL will follow suit with stuff like:

• no WOC, fireworks, or Fantasmic through end of September.
• no Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique through end of September.
• no tours, with maybe the exception of VIP tours
• no special dinner packages (not necessary since there's no night time shows)
• no character meals. Or if they do have a character meal, it's only at ONE location and it'll be at the GCH (since Goofy's Kitchen will be closed due to DLH closure through some date in October). WDW is only going with ONE character meal at the Riviera resort during the initial opening period.
• Plaza Inn will probably still serve breakfast, but it'll be cafeteria style (including the pastries section where you could serve yourself) and the serve-yourself drinks will be replaced with drinks provided by servers or you just get one drink with no refills like at other regular Quick Service locations.
• ALL dining locations will have reduced seating capacity, including QS locations. QS locations will have some tables blocked off for social distancing. BUT with reduced park capacity, it probably won't be a big deal.

 

[sgrap]

I'm looking for some input pls!

Situation: 5-night VGC reservation (bumped from May) to end of Aug/beginning Sept
Guests are myself, hubby (DVC members) and daughter who turns 18 just before trip. We all have flex passes that originally expired 8/14, but I'm assuming those will be extended.
**Trip is to celebrate daughter's 18th birthday.
Other guests are her boyfriend, and possibly a good family friend who will be living in San Diego by then. Neither of those guests have any tickets at this time. I added both to room reservation.
We still aren't 100% sure we are going, it will depend on COVID cases at the time (ill mother nearby at home, so I'm being super careful).

I've encouraged our guests to buy a ticket now, but no one has yet. They want to""wait and see," which I get. But daughter doesn't want to go on the trip if her boyfriend doesn't go, because it's her celebration.

Are there any 3rd party places still selling DLR tickets? (Family friend is military spouse, boyfriend is son of DOD employee, but I don't believe one who is eligible to for military tickets--and military spouse friend isn't sure if she is joining or not, so I can't count on a military tickets for boyfriend through her).

Any suggestions for what I should tell them? I don't know if there will be any chance of me getting them reservations if they don't have their tickets when reservations go live.

Thanks for any input!

 

[taaren]

WDW is taking reservations through September 26, 2021.

This worries me. WDW style is that you go 1-2x/year. At DL, I have 5 trips (mostly weekends, one during Spring Break) planned from July through April of which 4 are at VGC (5th one is for when it is closed/parks are open, they just cancelled my res day before yesterday and I'm not 100% that we're going then), 3 of them are replacement trips for the closure, all scheduled about 2 months apart from each other. If the reservation window opens for all of them at the same time I'm worried we won't be able to get park days.

That being said I doubt DLR will open it up for that length of time, just bc they do dining reservations 2 months in advance instead of 6 months like WDW, MaxPass instead of FP+, etc. I'm guessing DLR's reservation system will be more similar to Flexpass where you can book your days 30 days in advance.

 

[laugard]

I feel the same way re: our Sept PPH reservation!

The WDW confirms what many of us suspected...that resort guests DO have first priority...BUT the guests have to take action. Getting a park reservation is not automatic...just like getting a FP+ is not an automatic or guaranteed thing. It looks like at WDW, on site resort guests have 4 days' lead time before it opens to AP holders. So if you snooze, you lose.

Yes, but it's only resort guests WITH tickets who have first priority. There are a lot of people in the WDW threads with rooms booked who hadn't purchased tickets yet that are unhappy they're lumped in with everyone else needing tickets.

Reading the boards on Monday is going to be pretty wild!

This worries me. WDW style is that you go 1-2x/year. At DL, I have 5 trips (mostly weekends, one during Spring Break) planned from July through April of which 4 are at VGC (5th one is for when it is closed/parks are open, they just cancelled my res day before yesterday and I'm not 100% that we're going then), 3 of them are replacement trips for the closure, all scheduled about 2 months apart. If they all open at the same time I'm worried we won't be able to get park days.

That being said I doubt DLR will open it up for that length of time, just bc they do dining reservations 2 months in advance instead of 6 months like WDW, MaxPass instead of FP+, etc. I'm guessing DLR's reservation system will be more similar to Flexpass where you can book your days 30 days in advance.

I'm seeing a few posters in WDW threads now reporting they were told by CMs that the reservations for dates after August will be on a rolling window, with more details to follow in the promised emails. That would certainly make more sense, but if so, Disney really panicked a lot of people unnecessarily by not including some reference to it in the original message. But since nothing confirmed either way, guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[taaren]

I did notice that. I think that we are going to see a lot of changes come to how WDW does things.

I think I am mostly freaked out a bit about not having physical tickets or ticket numbers because DL's system is so different that WDW's system and we are newbies to DL. This will be our first trip to DL and I just don't know as much about the process of things compared to WDW. I definitely think that the DL app needs an update when comparing it to WDW's app

The DL app is actually pretty great for doing what it does. People tour DL differently than they do WDW. If you haven't tried MaxPass, it is a much smoother experience than FP+. Mobile dining ordering on the DL app is seamless and easy, we've enjoyed using it a lot the last year or two. I used to use 3rd party apps for wait times, but the last few years the DL app has worked great for us in making a decision of whether I want to make the hike from the GCH or DCA to Space or Galaxy's Edge.

It really isn't an inferior product, its a better one for DL because it is designed for the kind of touring that frequent park guests do, as the local contingent and AP holders are the largest audience at DL. There are a few misses, like not including the seasonal food items that Californians drool over in the app, but for the most part I've been pleased with how well it functions.

I suspect that the coding that MaxPass and FlexPass features are built on, as well as Mobile Order dining, are going to be used heavily in all the parks' apps for the foreseeable future.

 

[hiroMYhero]

...they do dining reservations 2 months in advance instead of 6 months like WDW

WDW will now be using a 60-day window for restaurant reservations and no FPs will be offered for anyone when the parks open. Rumors are future paid FPs but for now, it’s all regular lines for Attractions.

 

[taaren]

WDW will now be using a 60-day window for restaurant reservations and no FPs will be offered for anyone when the parks open. Rumors are future paid FPs but for now, it’s all regular lines for Attractions.

Yep, I spent most of my time on the DVC boards, and its amazing how upset people were when the 60 day window was announced. Apologies I should have referred to "pre-COVID WDW".

 

[NorthernCalMom]

Masks are still required outdoors in public spaces if 6 feet distance cannot be maintained. I still hope this means Disney lowers the allowed attendance so that masks are not needed.

I believe that, regardless of what the final attendance cap will be, anything but making face coverings mandatory would be reckless. People get excited at Disneyland, and you simply can’t count on all of them being reliably consistent about and mindful of their distance to other people at all times, even if you wouldn’t have visitors who happen to stubbornly believe that COVID is a media-fueled hoax. Cast members will be exposed to guests all day long. Cloth masks, bandannas, and surgical masks are predominantly for protecting others, not yourself. When all people wear them, we all protect one another. Cast members’ wearing masks when guests don’t would put THEM at risk. I was aghast when I heard that Vegas casinos made masks mandatory only for employees, while allowing their visitors to, if they want to, stay mask-less. I really worry about those casino employees and their families. Sorry, tangent... Though many interactions between cast members and guests will be outdoors and thus less risky, some of them (e.g. in ride loading zones) will be indoors. There is such a mountain of evidence by now that consistent usage of face coverings makes a huge difference in such situations.

 

[NorthernCalMom]

I’m planning 10 a day, lol. That would be a LOT of face masks. Someone on Etsy would get very rich off me if cloth is required.

Keep in mind that, while you can’t wash disposables, you may still be able to at some point reuse them, if you put them aside and let them sit for about 9 days. The virus isn’t particularly hardy and will degrade over time. It probably won’t help you while you’re in the parks, but if you collect your used masks in a ziplock bag, take them back home with you, and then let them sit for a while, you could later reuse them & save yourself some money.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Blog Mickey is reporting WDW APs can only hold 3 park reservations if they are not onsite guests:

https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/annu...-two-disney-park-pass-reservations-at-a-time/

 

[laugard]

And now there's this:
https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/disneyland-union-demands-theme-parks-dont-reopen-on-july-17th/

 

[CrimsonRave]

So I wonder how this will work with DL guests that are book for the holidays. I wonder if they do a like 60 days before you go reservation.....

 

[laugard]

Folks with WDW resort stays and tickets for 2021 have started receiving emails confirming they can make reservations starting on Monday.

 

[montreid]

DLR is different beast with high local participation. This is what I think will happen using WDW as template

• Beginning June 22, 2020, DLR hotels and other select hotel Guests with valid theme park admission can make reservations.
• Beginning June 26, 2020, Annual Passholders without a Resort stay can make reservations.
• Beginning June 28, 2020, existing ticket holders can make reservations.

-Same start dates for the reservations. So even though DLR don't open until July 23, they can start reserving those dates that they have reservations.

-Advantage would be to the Platinum Premium holders without blackouts -- can literally reserve entire year.
-Flexpass will still have 30 day limit and the reservation limit

We're in the same spot with our end of August week. 2 flexpasses expire 8/21 -- they either need to extend or allow renewal for us to utilize, otherwise need to sport regular tickets for these days -- so much stress!!!! but happy stress, vs sad stress watching youtube vids

 

[SeaDis]

I vote that re-entry will be allowed at DLR. I think a reservation is yours for the day, just like Flex Pass. I agree with others the timed entries are to limit the morning pile up.

They would have no way of knowing when a morning reservation guest would decide to leave the park and free up space for an afternoon reservation to enter. And I think there's no chance of a standby queue at the gate during this period.

That said, if we don't have official confirmation by the time dining reservations open, you could book in-park dining as some insurance, maybe.

Edit: typo only

 

[EmJ]

Keep in mind that, while you can’t wash disposables, you may still be able to at some point reuse them, if you put them aside and let them sit for about 9 days. The virus isn’t particularly hardy and will degrade over time. It probably won’t help you while you’re in the parks, but if you collect your used masks in a ziplock bag, take them back home with you, and then let them sit for a while, you could later reuse them & save yourself some money.

But... aerosolized potty water... on my face

I am definitely changing that mask out after every bathroom break that does not occur in my personal hotel room.

I am more conservation friendly at home, and we wear reusable cloth masks. But POTTY WATER!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

My daughter’s pass expired at the end of May, and even though I called to request the extension option we’ll before that, it still only shows up as “one pass needs to be renewed!” in the app. Makes me nervous, even though I know that’s just how it is right now... I don’t have a lot of faith in Disney’s IT or phone CMs, so it seems dicey.

My husband and I expire on July 15. We should be extended, too... but I guess we’ll see.

All of my internal debates about trying to go will be a moot point if we don’t have active passes!

You and me both!

Yep. Cloth masks were not permitted at any of the 3 recent doctor's appointments I have gone to. I showed up to one in a surgical mask and they asked me to remove it and they gave me another surgical mask from their own supply before I could enter the building. At another appointment, I was asked to swap my cloth mask for a surgical one (kids were wearing disposable KN95 type and they were allowed to keep those on). At the last one, cloth masks were allowed in the waiting room (we were the only ones in there), but not in the exam rooms. I carry both types with me now.

I'm in the Bay Area, and I had a similar experience at a doctor's appointment on Monday. I had on a N95 mask and they asked me to put on one of their surgical masks. I just double masked since I wanted the protect of an N95. I double mask a lot to protect my limited # of N95s.

 

[CrimsonRave]

I vote that re-entry will be allowed at DLR. I think a reservation is yours for the day, just like Flex Pass. I agree with others the timed entries are to limit the morning pile up.

They would have no way of knowing when a morning reservation guest would decide to leave the park and free up space for an afternoon reservation to enter. And I think there's no chance of a standby queue at the gate during this period.

That said, if we don't have official confirmation by the time dining dining reservations open, you could book in-park dining as some insurance, maybe.

So my wife and I had a discussion about this. The reason we book PPH was connivence. It is reasonable to think you leave, can run to hotel and back in a reasonable amount of time. That's part of the perks of staying on site.

Also how would they handle if you had a dining reservation. We don't go till November, by they I expect the hotel dining to be open for sure, and we like to either have a super early breakfast or a late breakfast/lunch time. I would want to leave, eat, and come back.